How to become a surrogate mother

Being a surrogate mother is an act of kindness but
before you make the decision of becoming a surrogate mother, you must know
there are several physical, emotional, sensitive and legal issues that you need
to deeply think about.

First of all, surrogacy / assisted reproductive
laws are not the same in every US State or Canada Province, you need to
understand the local laws in your country, and the best way to do that is to
get in contact with a good lawyer. Also, whether you chose to work with an
agency or going independent, do your homework and get as much information as
you can about the surrogacy process, IVF process, etc, there are really good
resources online you can consult by free.

If after learning about the surrogacy process you
still want to be a surrogate, the first step will be to discover if you are a
good candidate. You won't find any established legal requirements, the
requirements will depend on the surrogacy agency and IVF clinic you will work
with since most of them have their own guidelines.

Some general requirements for becoming a surrogate
are

1. You must be between 21 and 45 years old.
Women usually are asked to be 21 years old to guarantee they are ready to deal
with all the topics associated with the surrogacy process. The upper age limit for surrogate
mothers is grounded on medical concerns as the risks of pregnancy increase.

2. Have had a prior problem-free pregnancy and be
raising that child: This is mandatory to be a gestational carrier, because if a
woman has given birth once, it shows she is able to become pregnant and
institutes fertility.

3. Have a stable family life and strong social
supports around you: Surrogacy
journey sometimes can be an emotional and demanding process. It's important that
you have a good support system in place that provides you support and help
throughout your surrogacy process.

4. Be in good physical health and have a
healthy lifestyle: Gestational carrier should have a healthy lifestyle,
Intended Parents need to be able to trust you will take their baby like they
would do, trust is very important in this surrogacy process. Also It's known
that healthy eating during pregnancy is vital to have a healthy pregnancy and
for the baby's development

5. Responsible lifestyle: A gestational
carrier must live a stable lifestyle: no drugs and non-smoking. Smoking during
pregnancy can cause several issues. Babies are the most important part of the
surrogacy journey and we need to their health.

6. Body Mass Index under 33: If your BMI is
higher than 33 there is risk of developing diabetes, which can be a risk not
only to you but also to the pregnancy. Also, It's proven that women with a BMI
higher than 33 could have more difficulties to get pregnant. This limit will
depends on the IVF clinic.

7. You need to be willing to undergo some medical
and psychological screeners and procedures.

If you consider that you could be a good candidate
to be a surrogate mother the next step is to learn more about surrogacy in your
country and prepare yourself for the surrogacy journey.

8. You have to know the different types of
surrogacy: traditional surrogacy (also named as genetically surrogacy), and
gestational surrogacy (also named as host surrogacy). You need to decide which
one fulfills better your expectations.

9. You need to understand the laws in your
State/Province/County. Make sure you engage with a good lawyer who specializes
in surrogacy/fertility/family topics to get legal advice and ask any question
you could have.

10. You have to choose if you want to use an
agency. Normally, a surrogacy agency will help you to find a match and will
support through all the IVF process and pregnancy. However, before choosing an
agency or signing any agreement, make sure you get feedback from internet or
former surrogates about this agency, as probably you can imagine, not all
the surrogacy agencies are reliable.

11. Match with your Intended Parents. Whether you
use a surrogacy agency or not, it is important that you feel very comfortable
with the intended parents you are going to help. You are going to spend at
least one year with them and it's important that you share as much values as
possible with them. You should be able to trust them and ideally they should be
supportive and reliable.

12. Surrogacy contract and Medical procedures. Due
to all the legal issues related to surrogacy, your Intended parents' lawyer and
your lawyer should draft a contract that includes the rights and the
responsibilities of both parties.

Your Intended Parents and you should sign
the contact before you start with the IVF treatment.